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7th Fleet Travels to the Republic of Korea for 7th Annual Anti-Submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee Meeting

03 February 2023

From Lt. Jacob Treat, Commander, Naval Forces Korea Public Affairs

BUSAN, Republic of Korea - Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, visited Commander, Republic of Korea Fleet (CRF) Base in Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK), Feb. 2, to attend the 7th Anti-Submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee (ASWCC) meeting as the co-chair of the event.

230202-N-SO091-856 BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Admiral Kim Jung-soo, Commander Republic of Korea Fleet leads Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, US 7th Fleet and Staff on a tour of the flight deck aboard the Republic of Korea Navy Dokdo-class Amphibious Assault Ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) in Busan, ROK. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs)
BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Admiral Kim Jung-soo, Commander Republic of Korea Fleet leads Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, US 7th Fleet and Staff on a tour of the flight deck aboard the Republic of Korea Navy Dokdo-class Amphibious Assault Ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) in Busan, ROK. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs)
230202-N-SO091-856 BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Admiral Kim Jung-soo, Commander Republic of Korea Fleet leads Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, US 7th Fleet and Staff on a tour of the flight deck aboard the Republic of Korea Navy Dokdo-class Amphibious Assault Ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) in Busan, ROK. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs)
230202-N-SO091-856
BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Admiral Kim Jung-soo, Commander Republic of Korea Fleet leads Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, US 7th Fleet and Staff on a tour of the flight deck aboard the Republic of Korea Navy Dokdo-class Amphibious Assault Ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) in Busan, ROK. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs)
Photo By: Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs
VIRIN: 230202-N-SO091-856


The ASWCC meets once a year to assist the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) in its efforts to develop a more integrated, synchronized, and long-term approach to developing its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities. A major objective of the ASWCC is to confirm recent progress made on strengthening alliance ASW capability.

ASWCC was established in August 2014 when 7th Fleet and CRF signed the ASW Improvement Program Charter and has since met annually to provide oversight to Alliance stakeholders charged with improving ASW readiness in the Korean Theater of Operations.
230202-N-ZU710-0108 BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, holds a conference with senior Korean and U.S. Navy leadership aboard the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) in Busan, ROK. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Chen)
BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, holds a conference with senior Korean and U.S. Navy leadership aboard the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) in Busan, ROK. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Chen)
230202-N-ZU710-0108 BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, holds a conference with senior Korean and U.S. Navy leadership aboard the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) in Busan, ROK. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Chen)
230202-N-ZU710-0108
BUSAN, Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, holds a conference with senior Korean and U.S. Navy leadership aboard the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) in Busan, ROK. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Chen)
Photo By: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adam Craft
VIRIN: 230202-N-ZU710-0108


"I am honored to visit the ROK Fleet Command in the milestone year of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, and discuss ways for maritime security cooperation between our two countries,” said Thomas, "The topics discussed today contribute greatly to strengthening the alliance between the ROK-U.S. navies, and ensures that this alliance will continue for generations.”
230202-N-SO091-029 Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, US 7th Fleet (left) and Vice Admiral Kim Jung-soo, Commander Republic of Korea Fleet (right) receive a combined brief on naval operations in and around the Korean peninsula. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs)
Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, US 7th Fleet (left) and Vice Admiral Kim Jung-soo, Commander Republic of Korea Fleet (right) receive a combined brief on naval operations in and around the Korean peninsula. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs)
230202-N-SO091-029 Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, US 7th Fleet (left) and Vice Admiral Kim Jung-soo, Commander Republic of Korea Fleet (right) receive a combined brief on naval operations in and around the Korean peninsula. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs)
230202-N-SO091-029
Republic of Korea (Feb. 2, 2023) Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Commander, US 7th Fleet (left) and Vice Admiral Kim Jung-soo, Commander Republic of Korea Fleet (right) receive a combined brief on naval operations in and around the Korean peninsula. Vice Adm. Thomas is in the Republic of Korea to attend the 7th annual Anti-submarine Warfare Cooperation Committee meeting. (Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs)
Photo By: Courtesy photo by Commander, ROK Fleet Public Affairs
VIRIN: 230202-N-SO091-029


In addition to attending the ASWCC, Thomas took the opportunity to meet with ROK Sailors and leadership aboard the ROKN Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112), as well as U.S. Sailors stationed in Korea as part of Commander, Naval Forces Korea.


CNFK proudly celebrates its 70-year Alliance with our ROKN partners, continuing to foster an enduring relationship of mutual respect and working together to temper combined maritime warfighting capability, interoperability, and readiness that has spanned generations.

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